Many college kids who came home for the summer took a short flight or were close enough to drive.

Corey Ellis, 22, of Carver, who was visiting his grandparents in Weymouth this week, had a little farther to travel home.

He is a student at Shanghai Normal University in China.

Ellis has spent two years achieving near fluency in Mandarin Chinese after transferring from Bridgewater State University, where he began studying the language.

When he first arrived in China, Ellis hadn’t yet mastered Chinese. He had taken a year off from studying the language in the classroom at Bridgewater.

Constant exposure to the language in China quickly accelerated his speaking skills, and he was able to pass the highest level on the standard Chinese language proficiency exam, the HSK.

He said he first became fascinated by Asia after studying in Japan while enrolled at Carver High School and has long dreamed of traveling the world.

“I figured I’d like to go to China with China’s economy blowing up,” he said.

Ellis has two more years to go at the campus in Shanghai, where he said there are only a couple of other Americans studying, and then plans to pursue a graduate degree in China. He said there are many jobs available in translation and teaching, but he’s not sure which business opportunity he would like to pursue. He said he probably wouldn’t give up his American passport to become a permanent resident.

Ellis’ grandfather, Bill MacDonald, a Weymouth resident and World War II veteran, awaited his grandson’s return with his wife and greyhound rescue dog. He has seven grandchildren including Corey.

“He’s the patriarch in the family. We always go and visit him,” said Ellis about his grandfather.

Ellis said he calls his grandparents once every two weeks when he’s in China to see how they’re doing. Respect for one’s grandparents carries great weight in China, where filial piety is a must, he said.

Ellis has noticed other cultural differences in China as well. “They’re a lot more strict. When you look at Chinese kids, they’re pretty crazy. They get up at 6 a.m. in the morning and go to a study room until 10 p.m. at night.”